Technical Field
The present inventive concept relates to a depth-priority integral imaging display method using a nonuniform dynamic mask array which makes it possible to enhance the resolutions in both horizontal and vertical directions in such a way to change a division boundary of a mask pattern and use a two-times time multiplexing.
Description of the Related Art
New researches about a 3D image and an image reproducing technology are being recently conducted and attracting huge attentions from people.
The imaging technology becomes advanced and is being technically integrated.
The demand for the 3D images increases since it looks more natural like a real human as compared with a 2D image.
The 3D image reproducing technology is directed to a technology for expressing 3D so that an observer can experience a 3D image having a cubic effect and a reality-like effect rather than a plane image.
The method for reproducing the 3D images may be categorized into a stereoscopy method, a holography method, an integral imaging method, etc., for which a variety of technologies are underway.
Among the above-listed methods, the integral method was first suggested by Lippmann in 1908. Thereafter, the integral imaging method has been researched into the next generation 3D image reproducing technology.
As a prior art document related to the above 3D integral imaging method, there is the Korean patent registration No. 0891160 which discloses a method for compressing elemental images by applying a region division technology in an elemental image compression apparatus. The elemental image compression method using a region division technology may include a step (a) for obtaining, from a 3D object, elemental images with different time differences through a lens array, a step (b) for dividing the obtained elemental images into analogous regions with a plurality of analogous images depending on an analogous correlation, a step (c) for rearranging the images in each analogous region into a 1D elemental image arrangement, and a step (d) for compressing the rearranged and created 1D elemental image arrangements.
In addition, as another example of the prior art document, there is the Korean patent registration No. 0942271 which discloses a method for recovering an integral image using an elemental image which is picked up using a lens array. The method for integrally recovering images may include a step wherein the elemental image is enlarged into a predetermined size, and a recovery image is created by combining the pixels positioned at the same coordinates of each enlarged elemental image, a step wherein the recovery image corresponding to an inflection point of a blur metric value based on a focal distance is selected as a focus image, a step wherein an erosion image is created through an erosion calculation wherein each pixel value of an erosion mask is subtracted from each pixel value of the focal image, and a step wherein the erosion image is mapped on the recovery image.
In addition, the Korean paten registration No. 1294261 filed by the applicant of the present inventive concept discloses a method for displaying 3D integral images using a mask and a time division method. The method for displaying 3D integral images using a mask and a time multiplexing, wherein a 3D image is displayed in a space in such a way that elemental images obtained from a 3D object is obliged to pass through a lens array and a mask, and the mask consists of a blocking region through which elemental images cannot pass and a transmission region through which the elemental images can pass, thus allowing to display 3D images. The mask has the same size as the corresponding lens array, and the blocking region and the transmission region are arranged so that the positions thereof can alternately selected in sequence as time passes, thus displaying 3D images.
However, according to the above-described prior art method, the less the size of the transmission region of a mask panel, the better the resolution of the images, but in this case the number of the time multiplexing may increase, thus lowering the refresh rate.